Edward E. Bjurstrom
Mr. Bjurstrom, Founder of CareNow Foundation, Inc. currently serves as the U.S. Chairman of the International Leadership Foundation, is a board member for Aforidable Medicines for Africa, and Blackaby Ministries International. He is also the Co-Founder of the Jon Whitney Foundation, and is the Founder and CEO of Cross Pharmaceuticals Inc. Mr. Bjurstrom has 28 years of operating experience in the bio-pharmaceutical industry, including executive leadership roles at Amgen, the world’s largest biotechnology company.
Mr. Bjurstrom earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from California State University at Long Beach and completed the Executive Business Program at the University of Michigan.
Wendy Bjurstrom
Wendy is the co-Founder of the CareNow Foundation along with her husband, Ed. They determined to establish CareNow in late 2005 after they visited a number of rural villages in Africa during trips there in 2002 and 2004. On their visits, they found many people not only suffering from HIV/AIDs, but many who were in great need of the most basic healthcare services. Today, Wendy is very active in overseeing the day-to-day work of the Foundation, as well as assisting with fundraising activities for CareNow.
Wendy served on the board of Women of Vision, San Gabriel Valley Chapter, from 2002-2008. The mission of Women of Vision is to educate others about the plight of women and children in poverty around the world. This helped to prepare her for the work she is currently doing at CareNow. She led two mission teams to Cambodia in 2004 and 2006.
Wendy also co-founded, and serves as a board member of the Jon Whitney Foundation, which helps send teens to summer camps around the world.
She has three children and enjoys reading and world travel.
Chris Faherty, RN.
Chris Faherty, RN, has worked for over 24 years in pediatric critical care settings. After taking a break from nursing, she was compelled to continue using her skills to help others who do not have easy access to health care. Chris has worked with CareNow over the last 24 months coordinating shipments of medical equipment, supplies, and medicines to South Africa and Zambia. This past summer, Chris traveled with Anne Kennedy to South Africa and Zambia to review CareNow projects, administer nursing care with the mobile clinic in Zambia and investigate new projects.
John Horton, M.D.
Dr. Horton is currently in private practice of Medicine and Preventive Medicine in Southern California, and develops programs on individuality, learning and leadership for Inner Game, Inc., serving large corporations such as Apple Computers and Coke, USA. Dr. Horton was the Founder and Clinical Director of the Prem Nagar Medical Services, Hardwar, India, and he Founded World Travelers HealthCare. Dr. Horton has extensive experience in teaching at such prestigious universities as George Washington Medical School and the University of Southern California. Dr. Horton attended and earned degrees from Dartmouth College, Columbia College, Duke University, and the University of California, San Francisco.
Susan Hundshamer, RN
Susan Hundshamer, RN, is currently working as an Emergency Room nurse in a community hospital of East Los Angeles. After graduating from Azusa Pacific University, she moved to Zambia, Africa to pioneer a mobile medical clinic. With the help of The Care Now Foundation, the clinic was started and sustained for over 2 years, including the training of 7 Zambian national health workers. Now back in the United States, Susan is anxious to share her knowledge of Zambia and third world medicine. She wiill work with the board of CareNow to improve the health care of those who have been forgotten.
Anne Kennedy
Anne Kennedy took a trip to South Africa in 2006 to visit several orphanages and impoverished areas near Durban and became passionate about helping the least served people in this part of the world. Wanting more hands-on involvement, she volunteered with CareNow at fundraising events and other tasks to further the awareness of the needs in South Africa. She made a second trip to South Africa and Zambia this past summer to assist in areas supported by CareNow and to investigate new projects where CareNow can continue to make a difference. As a board member of CareNow, Anne is enthusiastic about speaking for those who have no voice.
Ed Maliski
Ed Maliski is currently an executive with Cure Pharmaceutical in Southern California. He is an accomplished research scientist with 30 years experience in the development of pharmaceutical and biotechnology products, a noted lecturer and strategist who has contributed his expertise in pharmaceutical product development at the Sterling Winthrop Research Institute, Glaxo Research Institute, Merck and Company and Amgen. Ed comments, "I spent 30 years in the commercial pharmaceutical industry, and want to use that experience to make a difference in areas of the world that are least served. I am especially interested in the health issues in Africa related to infectious diseases."
Sally Maliski, PhD. RN.
Sally Maliski, PhD. RN. is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at UCLA, as well as the Clinical Coordinator for the Westminster Free Clinic in Thousand Oaks, CA. Her research interests have been in improving cancer symptom management for the underserved communities of men with prostate cancer. Sally commented that she is "very excited about expanding globally what I do locally" as part of the CareNow board of directors.
Peggy Pence, PhD.
Dr. Pence’s is Founder, CEO and President of Symbion Research International, Inc. which provides contract clinical expertise to companies in pharmaceutical drug development. Startup companies and small scale developers gain significant benefit from her 30 years of experience in the research and development of traditional pharmaceuticals and biotechnology-derived products. Therapeutic areas of experience include neurology, oncology, hematology, infectious disease and rheumatology. Dr. Pence has a particular interest in the development of treatments for infectious diseases in general and HIV/AIDS in particular. Dr. Pence also serves on the international committee for the local Rotary Club in Westlake Village, California, and has made many trips to Africa.
Samuel Thomas
Sam Thomas has over 22 years in the pharmaceutical industry where he has authored and co-authored several scientific papers. Sam has extensive knowledge of separation science in drug discovery, particularly supporting and optimization of small molecule therapeutics at Abbott and Amgen. Sam co-founded a SANDS Analytical lab that was sold to BHK labs in Chicago. Sam holds a Masters degree in Analytical Chemistry from Northeastern Illinois University.
Cassandra Williams
Cassandra Williams is a Los Angeles-based attorney specializing in real estate and non-profit legal issues who earned her Juris Doctor in 2006 from Pepperdine University's School of Law. She has also obtained a Master’s degree in Dispute Resolution from the prominent Straus Institute in Malibu. Cassandra also puts her passion for politics and social issues to work as a radio personality hosting a daily radio program geared toward entertaining and educating the youth generation. Her radio show, The Block FM, has been the perfect creative outlet for her relentless efforts to bring significant social issues to light. In an effort to make a positive difference both at home and abroad, she has joined the CareNow Foundation to help illuminate the need for increased and improved medical facilities and resources for the people of Africa.
Paula Day Williams, EA
Paula Day Williams is an Enrolled Agent and principal of NumberCrunchers Business and Financial Services; she’s been solving tax problems in Simi Valley for more than twenty years. She has a BS in Accounting and Information Systems and is currently pursuing a Masters in Taxation.
When she’s not rescuing taxpayers, Paula leads seminars on individual and small business finance and taxation. She’s also a guest columnist on tax issues for the Ventura County Star.
Paula is an active member of the Simi Valley community where she lives and works. She is a member of the board of directors of the Simi Valley Community Foundation, the Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise, the Simi Valley Public Library Foundation and the Simi Sunrise Rotary Charitable Foundation. She is also an active supporter of the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Simi Valley Police Foundation, Delta Sigma Theta Public Service Sorority and Executive Women International.
Her hobbies include writing, travel, photography and cooking. Paula’s a gourmet chef - she’s trained at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris – and enjoys putting her skills to use entertaining friends.